Tag: SOAR Creative Writers

I am pleased to announce that the SOAR Creative Writers eBook, Passages of Promise, is now available as a free download at Smashwords. This collection of creative writing is an anthology of creative works written by the SOAR Creative Writers over the last eight weeks. The anthology includes: poems, short stories, song lyrics, book chapters, memoirs, and a play script. SOAR students also created the artwork for the cover design and most of the chapter dividers. My job was to compile all the manuscripts, strip them, and put them into Smashwords formatting while serving as a “light” editor of their works; these tasks took approximately fifteen hours on my part.

One of our Language Arts teachers, Justin Reynolds, shared these thoughts on the eBook:

I just want you to know, I am thoroughly enjoying reading all the student submissions. You really have some superstars in there. I’m even using some of the memoirs to help teach my unit on memoirs.

I’m happy that the eBook is providing inspiration to teachers and students; it is always heart-warming to help the students who are truly passionate about their work have an outlet for authentic publishing. While I don’t think the response to this eBook experience has had the student excitement of the one I did with Amy Balogh and her ESOL students last year (I think high school students may have a greater appreciation of what it means to publish one’s work), I hope to do more projects similar to this one in the future.

I hope you enjoy the eBook, and I’m happy to answer questions you may have about publishing through Smashwords.

Last Friday, we had the honor and privilege of Zooming with author and writing teacher Molly Brodak. Brodak, who teaches at Emory University and Kennesaw State University, is the author of the critically acclaimed memoir Bandit.In our 45 minute Q&A session, we all learned new strategies for writing; Brodak’s reflections on writerly life and ways to approach creative nonfiction were also incredibly insightful as well as inspiring. My take-aways:

Brodak’s concept of the “writer self” and “editor self”.

Doubt is healthy–we tend to think of doubt in a negative way as writers; embrace the questions in your mind.

Do not turn on the editor brain too soon or you will not get anything written; give yourself permission to write.

Be open to new experiences and interests/courses outside your comfort zone; these can give us new lenses and inspiration for noticing the world around us.

Big take-aways from my SOAR Creative Writing students include:

Don’t make yourself the “hero” when writing memoir.

When you awaken, don’t grab your phone right away. Instead, enjoy a few minutes of quiet and just “being” to clear your mind and to be open to the world around you.

Engage in activities and classes outside your normal realm; you may discover new passions. Getting outside your comfort zone forces you to look at the world with “fresh” eyes.

There are many kinds of poetry; just because you haven’t found a poem that speaks to you doesn’t mean there is not a poem out there for you.

Don’t pressure yourself to come up with ideas for writing; writer’s block is common. Get outside or do something different to jumpstart the creativity/ideas.

You need patience and persistence to publish a piece of writing.

Don’t pick a career just for the money.

When you begin a piece of writing, stay out of “editor” mode.

Imagine you reading someone else’s work when self-editing; be sure to let the writing “rest” for a day or two before re-reading and editing.

Writer’s block is a real thing.

Do not give up–be persistent.

It’s OK to take a break from writing, especially if you are feeling “stuck.”

Don’t be afraid to have confidence in your writing.

Don’t let doubt stop you from writing.

Read modern poetry and poets, not just the classics.

Be curious; pay attention to what is around you.

Unplug whenever possible–technology often distracts us from “seeing” and noticing the world around us and/or being present in the moment.

The students all shared in their written reflections how much they enjoyed this virtual visit. For the last year, I’ve been thinking about going back to school and pursuing a MFA in Creative Writing; this session as well as the first one and the one we did today (blog post coming soon) with the Kennesaw faculty and writers have reinforced my desire to pursue this goal to help me grow as a writer and a teacher of writing. My heart is full of gratitude to Dr. Tony Grooms, Director of the KSU MAPW and Professor of English, and the faculty who have so graciously shared their time and expertise with me and my SOAR Creative Writers.

I have included a few video clips that I captured with my iPhone (I apologize for not using the Zoom recorder!). Enjoy!

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About Me

I am a writing and Language Arts teacher who loves learning, literacy, stories, learning, dogs, poetry, fabulous shoes, and good lip gloss. I began my career as a high school English teacher in 1992 and then became a high school librarian and 2011 Library Journal Mover and Shaker before returning to the classroom in August 2016.